Spanish entry Javier Hernandez is third overall, 19 points behind Alsogaray. Felix Privot (FRA) moves up into fourth place (44 points) and Michael Bullot (NZL) is fifth (49 points). 

Like Slingsby, Championship favourites Paul Goodison (GBR) and Andrew Murdoch (NZL) did not have a good day across the board and both slid down the results; Murdoch from eight to 12^th after 28^th and 15^th finishes and Goodison from sixth to 15^th following third and 20^th finishes.

Paul Goodison (GBR) is having an up and down Championship 

(Photo Courtesy: C & C Imaging)

Others were happy with their lot in life. Brazilian Bruno Fontes, in eighth place overall said: "I had a good day - my first Final day was a really good day. I am happy," he said.

"Sailing was nice. I went OK. I have been sick, but I am better today - it is nice to have the sun back," said Arvid Claeson (SWE) who is currently 39th overall.

Overall in 20th place, Jean-Baptiste Bernaz was smiling. "I finished second in Race 8, which is much better than my 27th in the earlier race," he said.

Athens Laser bronze medallist Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) is in seventh place overall. "I did not do very good (he finished 13th and 16th), it was very patchy - the shifts went left and right - it was very hard to predict. Not easy."

The ever-positive American Brad Funk had a better day and moved up from 27th to 19th overall. ""I had a really great day; I got the nerves out of my system and just went sailing. It was beautiful conditions. I saw a 6ft shark out there. He told me his name was Willy!"

Greek sailor Adonis Bougiouris in 28th overall: "I had one bad race, finished 36th, then I had one good race, finished 10th! It was very very shifty, you couldn't predict what would happen next."

Too many sailors came ashore early; most were Black Flagged following General Recalls. In fact four from the Silver fleet and a staggering 11 from the Bronze fleet were sent home from the last race of the day.

Irish sailor Anthony Craig, one of many trying to qualify his nation for the Beijing Games, was one of the first to go in the Silver fleet. "I had a disaster in the first race and then I got done. It was great breeze out there though. It was around 10 knots in the earlier race and increased to around 15 knots from north-east," Craig said.

Australian Simon Morgan came ashore with the same tale. "I didn't do very well in the first race and then I got Black Flagged," he said. Canadian Christopher Dold also went. "I finished around 15th in the first race, but I was Black Flagged in the second. Apart from that, I'm enjoying the Championship," he said.

Hosted by Gosford Sailing Club, the Championship results are provisional pending protests and official confirmation.

While this Championship is drawing to a close on Wednesday, a few of the keener competitors entered for the Laser Masters World Championship have been arriving over the last few days to get in some early practice before their racing starts on February 17. The Opening Ceremony will be held the previous evening.

For all information, including mark roundings, photos and more on the Laser World Championship go to: http://aus08.laserinternational.org/

Further information:
Di Pearson,
2008 Laser Worlds media manager

Apology - the photo previously on this page, captioned as Julio Alsogaray, was not of Julio.   We regret this error, and would be delighted to know the true identity of the sailor in the photo.